Belting up in shops

Press, 10 January 1983, Page 15

Belting up in shops

NZPA Pembroke Pines Supermarket aisles can be a high-risk area for babies, and so a store in Florida is introducing seal belts for its shopping carts. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission recorded 9000 accidents involving grocery carts and children under five in 1981.

The Grand Union supermarket in this Fort Lauder-

dale suburb is introducing belts to make the baby seats more secure.

“We believe that in conjunction with state laws mandating proper childrestraint systems in automobiles that the time has come for safety in the local store as well,” said Mr

Robert Keston. vice-presi-dent of New York-based Babvsafe Inc., the belt's maker.

The reason. Mr Keston said, was most children's abundant curiosity. Children are often tempted to reach for products, as their parents do. and all too often fall from the cart into shelving, or different types of casing, which results in serious injury.

Mr David Light, the grocery department manager, said that 15 of the Grand Union's 200 shopping carts had been equipped with the belts, which were attached to the front of the seating basket. They buckled and unbuckled just like the belts in a car.